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PreviewAdvancedSpecial charactersHelpHeadingLevel 2Level 3Level 4Level 5FormatInsertLatinLatin extendedIPASymbolsGreekGreek extendedCyrillicArabicArabic extendedHebrewBanglaTamilTeluguSinhalaDevanagariGujaratiThaiLaoKhmerCanadian AboriginalRunesÁáÀàÂâÄäÃãǍǎĀāĂ㥹ÅåĆćĈĉÇçČčĊċĐđĎďÉéÈèÊêËëĚěĒēĔĕĖėĘęĜĝĢģĞğĠġĤĥĦħÍíÌìÎîÏïĨĩǏǐĪīĬĭİıĮįĴĵĶķĹĺĻļĽľŁłŃńÑñŅņŇňÓóÒòÔôÖöÕõǑǒŌōŎŏǪǫŐőŔŕŖŗŘřŚśŜŝŞşŠšȘșȚțŤťÚúÙùÛûÜüŨũŮůǓǔŪūǖǘǚǜŬŭŲųŰűŴŵÝýŶŷŸÿȲȳŹźŽžŻżÆæǢǣØøŒœßÐðÞþƏəFormattingLinksHeadingsListsFilesDiscussionReferencesDescriptionWhat you typeWhat you getItalic''Italic text''Italic textBold'''Bold text'''Bold textBold & italic'''''Bold & italic text'''''Bold & italic textDescriptionWhat you typeWhat you getReferencePage text.<ref>[https://www.example.org/ Link text], additional text.</ref>Page text.[1]Named referencePage text.<ref name="test">[https://www.example.org/ Link text]</ref>Page text.[2]Additional use of the same referencePage text.<ref name="test" />Page text.[2]Display references<references />↑ Link text, additional text.↑ Link text==Law and government== ===Government=== {{Main|Government of Chicago}} [[File:Daley Plaza 060716.jpg|thumb|upright=1|[[Daley Plaza]] and [[Chicago Picasso]], with [[City Hall-County Building (Chicago)|City Hall-County Building]] visible in background. At right, the [[Richard J. Daley Center|Daley Center]] contains the state law courts.]] The government of the City of Chicago is divided into executive and [[legislature|legislative]] branches. The [[mayor of Chicago]] is the chief executive, elected by general election for a term of four years, with no term limits. The current mayor is [[Brandon Johnson]]. The mayor appoints commissioners and other officials who oversee the various departments. As well as the mayor, Chicago's clerk and treasurer are also elected citywide. The [[Chicago City Council|City Council]] is the legislative branch and is made up of 50 alderpersons, one elected from each [[wards of the United States|ward]] in the city.<ref>{{Cite web |title=City Council, Your Ward & Alderperson |url=https://www.chicago.gov/content/city/en/about/council.html |access-date=2023-12-10 |website=www.chicago.gov |language=en}}</ref> The council takes official action through the passage of [[local ordinance|ordinances]] and resolutions and approves the city budget.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chicago Government |url=http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/chicagogovt.html |work=City of Chicago |access-date=October 13, 2013 |archive-date=November 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111074509/https://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/chicagogovt.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Chicago Police Department]] provides law enforcement and the [[Chicago Fire Department]] provides fire suppression and emergency medical services for the city and its residents. Civil and criminal law cases are heard in the [[Cook County Circuit Court]] of the State of Illinois court system, or in the [[Northern District of Illinois]], in the federal system. In the state court, the public prosecutor is the Illinois [[state's attorney]]; in the Federal court it is the United States [[District Attorney|attorney]]. ===Politics=== {{Main|Political history of Chicago}} {| align="center" border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="float:right; margin: 0 3em 1em 0; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" |+ '''Presidential election results in Chicago<ref name="Dave's">{{cite web|title=Dave's Redistricting|url=https://davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap::8a4586ad-4c58-489b-828c-4477cfd0ce88|access-date=June 7, 2023|archive-date=February 28, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230228051204/https://davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap::8a4586ad-4c58-489b-828c-4477cfd0ce88|url-status=live}}</ref>''' |- ! style="text-align:center;" | Year ! style="text-align:center;" | [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] ! style="text-align:center;" | [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] ! style="text-align:center;" | Others |- | style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[2020 United States presidential election in Illinois|2020]]''' | style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''82.5%''' ''944,735'' | style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|15.8% ''181,234'' | style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.6% ''18,772'' |- | style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[2016 United States presidential election in Illinois|2016]]''' | style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''82.9%''' ''912,945'' | style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|12.3% ''135,320'' | style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|4.8% ''53,262'' |} During much of the last half of the 19th century, Chicago's politics were dominated by a growing [[Cook County Democratic Party|Democratic Party]] organization. During the 1880s and 1890s, Chicago had a powerful radical tradition with large and highly organized [[socialist]], [[anarchist]] and [[labor organization]]s.{{sfnp|Schneirov|1998|pp=173–174}} For much of the 20th century, Chicago has been among the largest and most reliable Democratic strongholds in the United States; with Chicago's Democratic vote the state of Illinois has been "[[Red states and blue states|solid blue]]" in [[United States presidential election|presidential elections]] since 1992. Even before then, it was not unheard of for Republican presidential candidates to win handily in downstate Illinois, only to lose statewide due to large Democratic margins in Chicago. The citizens of Chicago have not elected a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] mayor since 1927, when [[William Hale Thompson|William Thompson]] was voted into office. The strength of the party in the city is partly a consequence of Illinois state politics, where the Republicans have come to represent rural and farm concerns while the Democrats support urban issues such as Chicago's public school funding.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}} Chicago contains less than 25% of the state's population, but it is split between eight of Illinois' 17 [[Illinois's congressional districts|districts]] in the [[United States House of Representatives]]. All eight of the city's representatives are Democrats; only two Republicans have represented a significant portion of the city since 1973, for one term each: [[Robert P. Hanrahan]] from 1973 to 1975, and [[Michael Patrick Flanagan]] from 1995 to 1997.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}} [[Machine politics]] persisted in Chicago after the decline of similar machines in other large U.S. cities.{{sfnp|Montejano|1999|pp=33–34}} During much of that time, the city administration found opposition mainly from a liberal "independent" faction of the Democratic Party. The independents finally gained control of city government in 1983 with the election of [[Harold Washington]] (in office 1983–1987). From 1989 until May 16, 2011, Chicago was under the leadership of its longest-serving mayor, [[Richard M. Daley]], the son of Richard J. Daley. Because of the dominance of the Democratic Party in Chicago, the Democratic [[primary election|primary]] vote held in the spring is generally more significant than the general elections in November for U.S. House and Illinois State seats. The aldermanic, mayoral, and other city offices are filled through nonpartisan elections with runoffs as needed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=7 big ideas for making Illinois more (small-d) democratic – CHANGE Illinois |date=March 28, 2022 |url=https://www.changeil.org/2022/03/7-big-ideas-for-making-illinois-more-small-d-democratic/ |access-date=June 18, 2022 |archive-date=August 16, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816041513/https://www.changeil.org/2022/03/7-big-ideas-for-making-illinois-more-small-d-democratic/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The city is home of former United States President [[Barack Obama]] and First Lady [[Michelle Obama]]; Barack Obama was formerly a state legislator representing Chicago and later a U.S. senator. The Obamas' residence is located near the University of Chicago in [[Kenwood, Chicago|Kenwood]] on the city's south side.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2016/07/27/with-michelle-obama-in-town-speculation-about-future-for-their-home/ |title=With Michelle Obama In Town, Speculation About Future For Their Home |first=Derrick |last=Blakley |work=cbslocal.com |date=July 27, 2016 |access-date=July 30, 2016 |archive-date=July 30, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160730175417/http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2016/07/27/with-michelle-obama-in-town-speculation-about-future-for-their-home/ |url-status=live }}</ref> ===Crime=== {{Main|Crime in Chicago|Timeline of organized crime in Chicago}} [[File:Chicago Police Ford Police Interceptor Utility 7905 (Front left view).jpg|thumb|[[Chicago Police Department]] SUV, 2021]] Chicago's crime rate in 2020 was 3,926 per 100,000 people.<ref>{{cite web |title=2021 Year End Summary Crime Statistics |url=https://home.chicagopolice.org/statistics-data/crime-statistics/ |publisher=Chicago Police Department |access-date=July 15, 2022 |archive-date=July 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220715025318/https://home.chicagopolice.org/statistics-data/crime-statistics/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Chicago experienced major rises in [[violent crime]] in the 1920s, in the late 1960s, and in the 2020s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chicago Police Annual Report 1967 |url=https://portal.chicagopolice.org/portal/page/portal/ClearPath/News/Statistical |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304041413/https://portal.chicagopolice.org/portal/page/portal/ClearPath/News/Statistical%20Reports/Annual%20Reports/1967_AR.pdf |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=July 26, 2015 |publisher=Chicago Police Department |format=PDF}}</ref><ref name="Chicago Police Annual Report 2017">{{cite web |title=Chicago Police Annual Report 2017 |url=https://home.chicagopolice.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2017-Annual-Report.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181203184344/https://home.chicagopolice.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2017-Annual-Report.pdf |archive-date=December 3, 2018 |access-date=December 24, 2018 |website=chicagopolice.org |publisher=Chicago Police Department |page=68}}</ref> Chicago's biggest [[criminal justice]] challenges have changed little over the last 50 years, and statistically reside with homicide, [[armed robbery]], gang violence, and [[aggravated battery]]. Chicago has attracted attention for a high murder rate and perceived crime rate compared to other major cities like New York and Los Angeles. However, while it has a large absolute number of crimes due to its size, Chicago is not among the top-25 most violent cities in the United States.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Monkovic |first1=Toni |last2=Asher |first2=Jeff |date=June 16, 2021 |title=Why People Misperceive Crime Trends (Chicago Is Not the Murder Capital) |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/16/upshot/murder-crime-trends-chicago.html |access-date=July 9, 2023 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=April 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230425160403/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/16/upshot/murder-crime-trends-chicago.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fieldstadt |first=Elisha |date=February 23, 2022 |title=Highest murder rates in the U.S. - The most deadly cities |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/murder-map-deadliest-u-s-cities/ |access-date=July 9, 2023 |website=CBS News |language=en-US |archive-date=November 7, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107070825/https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/murder-map-deadliest-u-s-cities/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Murder rates in Chicago vary greatly depending on the neighborhood in question.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Moser |first=Whet |date=August 14, 2012 |title=Gawker Glosses Chicago's Murder Problem |url=http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/The-312/August-2012/Gawker-Glosses-Chicagos-Murder-Problem/ |url-status=dead |journal=Chicago |publisher=Chicago Tribune Media Group |issue=August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903085301/http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/The-312/August-2012/Gawker-Glosses-Chicagos-Murder-Problem/ |archive-date=September 3, 2014 |access-date=August 28, 2014}}</ref> The neighborhoods of [[Englewood, Chicago|Englewood]] on the South Side, and [[Austin, Chicago|Austin]] on the West side, for example, have homicide rates that are ten times higher than other parts of the city.<ref>{{cite news |last=Christensen |first=Jen |date=March 14, 2014 |title=Tackling Chicago's 'crime gap' |publisher=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/13/us/chicago-crime-gap/ |access-date=August 28, 2014 |archive-date=August 27, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140827235801/http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/13/us/chicago-crime-gap/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Chicago has an estimated population of over 100,000 active gang members from nearly 60 factions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chicago Gang Violence: By The Numbers |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/fullpage/chicago-gang-violence-numbers-17509042 |access-date=December 17, 2015 |website=ABC News |archive-date=December 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222090102/http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/fullpage/chicago-gang-violence-numbers-17509042 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=January 26, 2012 |title=Chicago Most Gang-Infested City in U.S., Officials Say |url=http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-crime-commision-gang-book-138174334.html |access-date=December 17, 2015 |publisher=NBC Chicago |archive-date=January 2, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102151110/http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-crime-commision-gang-book-138174334.html |url-status=live }}</ref> According to reports in 2013, "most of Chicago's violent crime comes from gangs trying to maintain control of drug-selling territories,"<ref name="bloomberg1">{{cite news |last=Lippert |first=John |date=September 17, 2013 |title=Heroin Pushed on Chicago by Cartel Fueling Gang Murders |publisher=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-17/heroin-pushed-on-chicago-by-cartel-fueling-gang-murders.html |access-date=October 12, 2013 |archive-date=October 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006065328/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-17/heroin-pushed-on-chicago-by-cartel-fueling-gang-murders.html |url-status=live }}</ref> and is specifically related to the activities of the [[Sinaloa Cartel]], which is active in several American cities.<ref>{{cite news |author=Morning Edition |date=September 17, 2013 |title=Probing Ties Between Mexican Cartel And Chicago's Violence |newspaper=NPR.org |publisher=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2013/09/17/223309103/probing-ties-between-mexican-drug-cartel-and-chicagos-violence |access-date=October 12, 2013 |archive-date=October 14, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131014124759/http://www.npr.org/2013/09/17/223309103/probing-ties-between-mexican-drug-cartel-and-chicagos-violence |url-status=live }}</ref> Violent crime rates vary significantly by area of the city, with more economically developed areas having low rates, but other sections have much higher rates of crime.<ref name="bloomberg1" /> In 2013, the violent crime rate was 910 per 100,000 people;<ref>{{cite web |title=Rahm Emanuel's performance as Chicago mayor |url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/section/measuring-rahm-emanuel#rate |access-date=April 20, 2016 |work=Crain's Chicago Business |archive-date=April 19, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419142049/http://www.chicagobusiness.com/section/measuring-rahm-emanuel#rate |url-status=live }}</ref> the murder rate was 10.4 – while high crime districts saw 38.9, low crime districts saw 2.5 murders per 100,000.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rahm Emanuel's performance as Chicago mayor |url=http://www.chicagobusiness.com/section/measuring-rahm-emanuel#murder |access-date=April 20, 2016 |work=Crain's Chicago Business |archive-date=April 19, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419142049/http://www.chicagobusiness.com/section/measuring-rahm-emanuel#murder |url-status=live }}</ref> Chicago has a long history of public [[corruption]] that regularly draws the attention of federal law enforcement and federal prosecutors.<ref>{{cite web |date=February 24, 2012 |title=Chicago's 'hall of shame' |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2012-02-24-ct-met-aldermen-convicted-0224-20120224-story.html |access-date=June 20, 2020 |website=Chicago Tribune |archive-date=June 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621051228/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2012-02-24-ct-met-aldermen-convicted-0224-20120224-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> From 2012 to 2019, 33 Chicago alderpersons were convicted on corruption charges, roughly one third of those elected in the time period. A report from the Office of the Legislative Inspector General noted that over half of Chicago's elected alderpersons took illegal campaign contributions in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |author=Austin Berg |date=November 16, 2015 |title=More than half of Chicago aldermen took illegal campaign cash in 2013 | City Limits |url=http://www.chicagonow.com/city-limits/2015/11/more-than-half-of-chicago-aldermen-took-illegal-campaign-cash-in-2013/ |access-date=December 17, 2015 |website=Chicagonow.com |archive-date=May 27, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170527150531/http://www.chicagonow.com/city-limits/2015/11/more-than-half-of-chicago-aldermen-took-illegal-campaign-cash-in-2013/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Most corruption cases in Chicago are prosecuted by the [[US Attorney|U.S. Attorney]]'s office, as legal [[jurisdiction]] makes most offenses punishable as a federal crime.<ref>{{cite web |date=November 13, 2014 |title=Northern District of Illinois – Department of Justice |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil |access-date=July 9, 2023 |archive-date=June 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614164719/https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil |url-status=live }}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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